Megumi Fujii file photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Fujii, 36, made her promotional debut in June, as she stopped Sarah Schneider on third-round punches at Bellator 21. Perfect through 20 professional appearances, the Japanese standout has not gone the distance in nearly three years and sports 13 first-round finishes on her impeccable resume. Fujii, a black belt in judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, has trained under Shooto veteran Hiroyuki Abe and former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett. She will enter the eight-woman draw as a prohibitive pre-tournament favorite.
Anchored at Team Four Corners, a Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts sister gym in New Mexico, Magana has not competed since September, when she submitted to a rear-naked choke from Jessica Pene under the Action Fight League banner. A Gladiator Challenge veteran, she has secured six of her eight career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission. The 27-year-old Magana has delivered five wins in her last seven bouts.
Meanwhile, American Top Team’s Jessica Aguilar will meet Lynn Alvarez in the other scheduled quarter-final at Bellator 24. Aguilar, who has never been finished, will carry a three-fight winning streak into the tournament. The Las Vegas-based Alvarez has rattled off four consecutive victories, all of them finishes.
The two other quarter-final bouts in the women’s tournament will be contested at Bellator 25 on Aug. 19 in Chicago, as Pene tangles with Zoila Frausto and undefeated Cage Rage veteran Aisling Daly collides with Lisa Ward.